The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-03-13
The fOE Of RLUTOCRATS.
1T Is THUS That THE MOST REV.
ARCHBISHOP
or Baltimore, Cardinal Gibbons,
Announces Himseif-He Is for the
Weak Against the Strong.

HerdldS Roman correspondent tele
| graphs: l have ascertained that, il
addition to the remarks on thu
Knights oil Labor, already csbled Il
the Herald, the secret report O.
Mgr. Straniero, erstwhle Papa
Ablegate I'M the United States, EN-.
braces a number of subjects inter.
esting to the Catholic Church in
America. Among a score of Other
points, the Monsignor has treated
the question of mixed marriages
Church and State, the Catholic hie.
asrchysin America, Catholic j)urnal.
ism and American nuucios. Mgr
Straniero evidently had his eyes
open while travelling through the
United States. His views ON the
whole are very impartial and very
free from that pr, judice which might
perhaps have been natural enough
in an Italian ecclesiastic seeing 80
new and so strange a country. He
is full of admiration for the freedom
of American Institutions and the
tolerant spirit which has permitted
aud even encouraged the wonderful
development IF American Cathol-
icism. His inquiry into the ques-
ton of mixed marriages leads him TO
the conclusion that they are not, on
the whole, favorable to the spread OF
Catholicism. he mentions that
Protestants, as rule, seem to regard
alliances with Catholics as a come
down, the fact being partly explain
able by the poverty Of the vast ma
jorlty Of American Catholics. The
expression of free Church in a
free State" he says, means far more
in the United States than in some
European COUNTRIES. Church and
State are absolutely independent of
each other. America gives a strik-
ing proof of how a church can live
aud flourish without the support of
government subsidies. la chapter
devoted 10 the American hierarchy,
he speaks in glowing terms of the
virtues and talents of many of the
Archbishops, Bishops and pre-
lates he met. Inter alias he
speaks of the illustrious Mgr. Ryan
andE of his golden eloquenre; Of
Archbishop Williams, the wise and
prudent Doyen of the Archbishops;
of Cardinal Gibbons, who has SO
large a share of the prudence, zeal
and courtesy essential to the modern
pastor; of ArchbishopF eehan, who he
remarks, boasts of richer and hand
somer residence than even Cardinal
Gibbons; of resolute Bishop Ireland,
of Mgr, Kenrick, the patriarch of
the episcopacy aud of his exemplary
piety and iufexible character, and
of Mgr. Salpointe, Of Santa Fe. In
the last chapter of his report Mgr.
Straniero takes a sauguiue view of
the future of American Catholicism
aud thinks it peculiarly aud admir-
ably suited to the American ideal,
which, both in matters civil and &C.
clesiastical, is positive and serious
and not unwilling to rest on author
ity. The Monsignor's readers will
probably be tempted to ask whether
he had the Herald in his minds eye
when he sat down to write
his paragraph on journalism.
After ather severely beginning
by the sremark that journalism
that is dogmatic and Journalism that
is partisan belongs to the plaques Of
the age, he adds that it would be
useful il journalism limited It's mis-
sion to keeping its readers posted
day by day about all that was hap
pening in the world, but that it be-
comes a danger when it seek by viru-
lence and polemical pressure to force
its opinions down the throats of the
public. Finally, Mgr. StraDiero very
caudidly submits to the Holy Father
his views on the much debated ques-
ton as to the policy and possibility
of appointing a nuueio TO Amer ca.
Here | am able to quote more fully.
Mgr. StraDiero begins, of course, by
repeating the familiar argument
about the Inconvenience and slow
ness of existing relations between
Rome and America. Would it not
be well, he asks, to remedy all this |
by establishing an apostolic delegate
at some point in the United States,
with tull powers from the Holy See, |
thus forming link between Rome |
and America. lie is quite alive TO |
the difficulties OF the plan. He fore |
sees that it would be distasteful to |
many of the Bishops and de-
to many Protes ants,
but much hostility would, he feels
sure, be overcome if the delegate
we're to. begin his task modestly, |
avoiding the title and pomp of nuncio
and holding aloof from diplomatic
matters, while he confined himself
strictly to ecclesiastical business.
Above all, to have any chance Of
success" remarks Mgr. Straniero,
the Apostolic Delegate must be an
American. This arrangement would
make the delegation merely branch
IF the Propaganda" AS to the
most fitting place in which to make
,he experiment he hesitates between
with its great pious, Cath
,lic population; Philadelphia, Wash
ngtOn and New York. After weigh
ng the pros aud cons he decides ia
avor of New York.